


A Reminder

by RPGwrites



Series: Magic, Gifts, and Curses [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, F/M, Family Angst, Mulled wine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 08:34:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28650597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RPGwrites/pseuds/RPGwrites
Summary: It’s that time of year and Ellana decides to make mulled wine. The problem is it reminds her of her family.
Relationships: Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan, Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford
Series: Magic, Gifts, and Curses [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1856128
Comments: 8
Kudos: 10





	A Reminder

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by [ ladyamesindy ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyamesindy/pseuds/ladyamesindy). Prompt: Mulled wine.

Ellanna sighed as she touched the bottle of mulled wine. Then she shook her head. No. She refused that this day would be a reminder of her family and what they have done. Today would be about her and Cullen. 

She took the bottle and the two glasses and left the kitchen. She got some questioning glances probably wondering what in the void she was up to. But Ellana couldn’t care less. 

When she got at his door she carefully placed the two glasses down and knocked. 

“It’s open.” The voice could only belong to Cullen and she took that opportunity to go in. 

She fetched the two glasses and went inside. 

Cullen was leaning over papers of work. He looked overworked as usual and he could definitely use the break. 

He looked up and frowned. "What do you have there?"

She looked down at her hands. "Mulled wine."

"Ah." His gaze was back at his paperwork. Neatly he pilled them together and looked at her again. "Who made it?"

"I did."

"You… did?" He seemed taken aback for a bit. As if he couldn't believe she made it. 

"Yes." A string of hair fell out of her bundle and she placed it behind her ear. "My mother…" she shut her eyes as happier memories flooded her mind. "My mother used to make it. Taught me."

Cullen hummed. "My family used to make it as well. It's a family tradition I deeply miss."

Ellana poured into the two glasses. "To what shall we drink?"

"To defeating Corypheus."

Ellana gave a sad smile as her glass clinged against his. It felt like that would never happen. "To defeating him," she repeated. 

She sat on the floor crossing her legs and soon Cullen joined her. 

"Do you think we're getting closer?"

"Mmh?" Cullen said distracted. 

"Corypheus. Will we be able to defeat him?" Ellana sat her glass beside her down. 

"We are getting closer, aren't we?"

"I mean we are getting somewhere with the red templars but perhaps afterwards it would just be another thing. What if we never win? Are there even any hope?"

This time Cullen set his glass down. "Why this conversation? Why now?"

"I've just been thinking." They have lost so much right now. How much was enough?

So many lost their lives in Haven. It was so unnecessary yet they were still here. 

"We'll find a way."

* * *

Cullen looked at the half full bottle of mulled wine and looked up at Ellana. "Could I perhaps ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Your family, why do you never speak of them?"

Ellana shifted uncomfortably to the side. This was the last topic she wanted to discuss. She had her reasons and it was enough for her. But would it be enough for Cullen? 

"I speak about them," she lied. 

"The one time Jospehine mentioned about writing to them you bite her head off."

Ellana chuckled as she remembered her reaction, "It wasn't that bad."

"She thought you would never speak to her again."

"Alright. You're right. I just don't like to talk about them."

"Why?"

"There's no reason."

"None...there must be."

"Just leave it, okay!" She stopped as she realized she almost yelled at him. At what lengths would she go to not talk about them?

"I'm sorry… I just don't…" She looked at the empty glasses and bottle of mulled wine and took it with her. "I think I had enough."

"Inquisitor…"

"I'll talk to you later."

And she left. 

* * *

Ellana was standing in her room. Even her room felt too small. She was overwhelmed with guilt. She was definitely not proud over the way she reacted. 

Cullen didn't deserve it. She knew. Ellana never should have made the mulled wine. 

She shut her eyes. Her family always ruined everything. It was years since she had anything to do with them yet they still haunted her. 

Her brother sent her letters and since becoming Inquisitor it became more. But among her family members he was the one she wanted to do with less. 

He was the one she trusted the most and he betrayed that trust. She couldn't forgive him even if she tried. 

Ellana sighed. That was the last thing she wanted to think about yet it plagued her mind. 

So she decided to visit her companions but nothing could take it off her mind and they realized something was up. 

"What's got you down?"

"Mmh?" Ellana said distractingly from Varric's words. 

"C'mon Inquisitor. Something got you down. Is it Curly?"

"Nah. It's fine. Thanks for the talk."

So she left and all her conversations were short. 

"Men are idiots, yeah?" Sera said after a bit into their conversation. 

"What?" Ellana had no idea what she talked about. 

"You're all gloomy. It's Cully, yeah? He didn't like the mulled wine?" 

Ellana told Sera that she planned to make the mulled wine. 

"I'm not gloomy." She crossed her arms across her chest. "It's just been a long day."

Usually Ellana was very good with hiding all her emotions but it seemed today wasn't one of those days.

* * *

It didn't take long after she retired to her quarters that she heard a knock on her door. She narrowed her eyes at the door as if she looked hard enough she would know who it is.

When she looked long enough she sighed, "Come in."

It was Cullen walking in. From his step she could tell he wasn't sure what he was doing in here. He was hesitating. 

But he was the first to talk. 

"Inquisitor, are you alright?"

Ellana sighed. She didn't know if she was if she was honest with herself. "I'm sorry. I wasn't fair to you. My family…"

"It does sound complicated," he suggested. 

"It is. More than I could say. But my family is off limits. I want nothing to do with them."

This surprised Cullen. "You.. what… how is that possible?"

Ellana shut her eyes as she tried her very best not to get angry at him. "It's a long story."

"I..is it because of your magic?"

Ellana looked down at her hands as she remembered all the times she blamed her magic. She couldn't tell him. Not now. Not ever. "Just leave it. I can't…"

"Alright. Let's go finish the mulled wine."

At that Ellana smiled. "That's a good idea." 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come and say hi on [ Tumblr ](https://rpgwrites.tumblr.com/).


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